GOSHEN – The Orange County Court conviction of a Port Jervis man in connection with a domestic assault case has been affirmed by the Appellate Division, Second Department, of State Supreme Court.
Joseph Williams, 64, was convicted by a jury in 2015 of criminal possession of a weapon and menacing resulting in sentencing by Judge Robert Freehill. In his appeal, Williams argued physical evidence and his statements to law enforcement officials should have been suppressed.
The appellate court, however, ruled Freehill properly denied the motion.
Police had responded to Williams’ residence, which he shared with the victim and two calls to 911 by the woman indicated he had threatened to kill her while wielding a knife. “Under the circumstances, the police had reasonable suspicion to believe that a crime had been committed, justifying a brief investigative detention of the defendant, during which he was asked where the knife was located,” the appeals court decision said.
The court also denied William’s motion to suppress physical evidence recovered from his bedroom. “The police officers entered the defendant’s bedroom, which he shared with the complainant, upon the complainant’s consent,” the appeals court wrote.
